Wichita eagle., 1887-08-04
THE WATCH FACTORY.


| Since its first announcement the readers of
| the EAGLE have been occasionally informed
of the progress made in the watch factory
enterprise, but nothing in the nature of a
boom" has been attempted or desired. The
enterprise has been presented Is business
proposition, and as such has been considered
aud accepted. The business tact of our citi-
zens readily perceived the Incompatible ad-
vantages of such an institution. and their bus
iness enterprise as readily subscribed the
necessary capital In truth so speedily and
quietly has the stock been subscribed that
comparatively few people outside the COM
mittee who investigated the enterprise, and
| the capitalists who were fortunate enough to
secure stock are fully aware of its import
ance and magnitude.
The company is organized for the manu-
facture and sale of the Peabody Watch
movements. AS to the comparative merits,
which our readers have already been in
formed through the report Of the committee
Of experts, concerning Mr.. Peabody, Mr.
John Bliss the largest nautical and astron-
omical instrument manufacturer in the
world, says: AZ have known him for thirty
years or SO and have the greatest confidence
| in his ability and perfect integ-
rityn Mr. A. s. Hotchkiss, superintendent of
the ''Seth Thomas Clock Co., says, 81 have
known him for many years and l believe his
ideas of how watch should be constructed
to keep time, are equal to those of any man
in the country Mr.. A. B. Bray, superin-
tendant Of the Graham Mfg Co., says, ~
have known Mr. Peabody many years, and
codsider him entirely competent to manage
the. constructing department Of a watch fac
tory and do not think you could find a man
to equal him in that capacity" Many other
testimonials, equally high and emphatic, are
to the same effect. Mr.. Edward Vail, our
popular Main street jeweler, having recently
returned from a quite extended trip in the
east informed us that he made frequent in
quiries concerning Mr.. Peabody, and that on
every hand he met with the highest endorse
ments of bis ability as a practical, level
headed watch maker, many declaring him to
be the best springer and adjustern in
propose to manufacture and send to the
markets of the world, the best watch made,
and that watch shall bear upon the dial The
Wichita Watch Company"
With such man as Mr. Peabody for me
chanical superintendent the success Of the in
st.tution becomes simply question of bust
ness management upon this question we may
rest assured as the stock is in the hands of
the business men of Wichita.
Invitations are now out for the various
sections to bid for the location of this valua-
BILE plant, which when completed as contem-
plated will require an entire block of ground
800 by 600 feet. When the question of loca-
ton is settled contracts will be Immediately
let for the erection of the necessary build
ings; brick and stone building 40xl45 and
one story high: this building will acsommo-
date between three hundred and four hun
dred hands, and will form one wing of the
main structure hereafter to be erected In
addition there will now be erected q brick
and stone machine shop, engine house, dial
shop and store room. 1t is expected that
cember l, 1887.
Probably no enterprise possesses
so many features of advantage to |
its locality as does the watch |
factory. When we consider that the factory |
building will be both extensive and attrac-
tive; that the employees areskilled mechanics, |
earning good wages, enabling them to pro-
vide good homes and become desirable citi- |
zens; hat the operation of the factory is |
by noise, smoke or dust. Elgin |
started % years ago on the same basis that |
our company is now starting. Today they
employ %, 600 hands and are paying such
dsvidends as no other manufacturing enter
prise In the country pays. Not dollar of
their stock can be purchased. Wichita has
excelled in everything she has undertaken,
she proposes to in this